Skywest or Comair

[Col.Hogan]

If you were offered a pilot position at both Skywest and Comair....who whould you go with??? HOG

 

[Russ]

As a pilot for SkyWest, I can say with confidence...I don't know.

In my opinion, five years from now SkyWest will be either be doing really well, perhaps flying larger aircraft....or it will go the other way. Good luck.

 

[General Lee]

Col Hogan,

If you want to eventually possibly end up with Delta, go to Skywest. Otherwise, Comair is probably the stronger airline and has plenty of growth ahead. Both airlines fly coast to coast, so there is some variety. Both have CRJ's, with Comair having some of the larger 70 seat version. Skywest may be looking at bigger planes---like 717's or 737's---especially if United folds or closes key bases like LAX or DEN. It's your choice.....

Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[miller22]

Comair is a great company Col Hogan, and right now they are over-staffed CRJ pilots, but won't be in three months when Bombardier gets back up to speed. If you want to fly for a great regional airline with a solid future, go to Comair. If you want to fly for Delta later, come to Comair. Don't let General Lee scare you into thinking no Comair pilots will go to Delta. Even if the pilots had their self-proclaimed omnipotence and their propoganda was true that you'd never get a job at Delta through Comair, wait until the lists are one-in-the-same and you can just bid into the 767.
Let me tell you what little I know about Skywest. Firstly they have a huge amount of aircraft in UAL colors. We all know whats up with United, and recently United has stated it will no longer pay the incredible fees per departure for its regionals which means lower profits for airlines such as Skywest, ACA, and CHQ. The airlines tend to follow what their competitors do, so it'd be safe to say Delta will also decrease the fee. Secondly Skywest seems to be toying with larger aircraft such as the 737 or 717, which are unable to fly as a part of the UAL or DAL ticketing system. While it seems to be the popular view on these forums to fly the biggest thing you can find, this news means risk. Add that to the fact that Skywest will be paid much less for each departure, and you have a situation where hiring may slow down, or stop. On the other hand, you could get on a Skywest and they get the 717's and make a ton of money and grow into a major, but that seems highly unlikely.
Comair is a sure bet, however. The potential to retain your flying job is good, however you'd be stuck in CVG and flipped off by juvenile Delta pilots. There is talk of a base in ATL and SLC next year, but then again, there was also talk of DFW this year, which won't happen; can't predict a new base with certainty.
Bear in mind that both Comair and Skywest are great companies. Until only recently I would have said "West coast? Skywest. East coast? Comair." However the UAL situation gives the edge to Comair, especially with talk of dwindling UAL contract revenues and a SLC base for Comair.

After all of that, I'd suggest doing some hard-core research for yourself. Don't believe what you hear on these boards until you can back the info for yourself (The article regarding UAL paying ACA and Skywest less for departures can be found in the USA Today Money Section on Tuesday February 25th.) Also, you'll notice in all "which airline should I go to" threads in the last few months is an upset Delta pilot who swears no Comair pilot will ever fly for Delta. Having said that its important to separate truth from propoganda in this industry. Hopefully this thread will not deteriorate from the factual information you're looking for into the trash-talking thread the one's before it have. Maybe this thread will be different...

 

[Richard]

"Hopefully this thread will not deteriorate from the factual information you're looking for into the trash-talking thread the one's before it have. Maybe this thread will be different..."

Oh, wouldn't that be nice!!!

 

[SKYWRJGUY]

Another thing..

Granted I'm a SkyWest guy, but you might also consider the safety net of having more than one carrier as a revenue base. Yes we've got DAL, and UAL (which right is a precarious thing), but we're also looking at others. We will no doubt make less per departure in the future with UAL which will decrease incremental income, but as the number of departures increases so too will the bottom line. It's the Southwest Way--they don't make a lot of money on any one departure, they do it by launching a plane 8-9 times a day. To those who thought Eastern, Pam Am, TWA (et al.) were as blue chip in this industry as an airline could get, history just gives examples of powerful airlines folding. Sometimes smaller is better as the business model tends to be more flexible allowing quicker changes to market conditions.

As for UAL vs DAL jets, I think the current ratio is still only 1:2--I think we've only got 25-30 in those colors which is 1/3 that ACA currently has. I don't know how likely it is UAL will completely close LAX/SFO/DEN, but I could certainly see them slimming down to the bread and butter routes (transcon/transpacific/transatlantic) servicing with nothing but widebodies--that would leave a large gap in small-medium size service throughout the west. Right now, I imagine SKYW, LUV and AWAC are in the best position to capitalize on that opportunity.

 

[maddog805]

Not Quite

We all know whats up with United, and recently United has stated it will no longer pay the incredible fees per departure for its regionals which means lower profits for airlines such as Skywest, ACA, and CHQ.

We'll start here. It is true that United is going to pay SkyWest less per departure, but the reduced price is more than Comair takes from big D. The less United flies, the more SkyWest flies.

Secondly Skywest seems to be toying with larger aircraft such as the 737 or 717, which are unable to fly as a part of the UAL or DAL ticketing system. While it seems to be the popular view on these forums to fly the biggest thing you can find, this news means risk.

Why would you want to work for a company who is afraid to take risks? Taking risks is the only way to stay alive in the industry.

Comair is a sure bet, however. The potential to retain your flying job is good, however you'd be stuck in CVG and flipped off by juvenile Delta pilots. There is talk of a base in ATL and SLC next year, but then again, there was also talk of DFW this year, which won't happen; can't predict a new base with certainty.

SkyWest employees have job security (as much as anyone else anyway) AND opened 3 new RJ domiciles within the last year (good ones too) SBA, TUS, DEN. Oh yeah...No one flips SkyWest off either.

However the UAL situation gives the edge to Comair, especially with talk of dwindling UAL contract revenues and a SLC base for Comair.

That remains to be seen

Oh yeah, the ONLY reason SkyWest had to reduce costs for big D is because Comair said they would under cut SkyWests costs. SkyWest came within a few days of losing the Delta contract because of Comair's undercutting.

After all of that, I'd suggest doing some hard-core research for yourself. Don't believe what you hear on these boards until you can back the info for yourself (The article regarding UAL paying ACA and Skywest less for departures can be found in the USA Today Money Section on Tuesday February 25th.) Also, you'll notice in all "which airline should I go to" threads in the last few months is an upset Delta pilot who swears no Comair pilot will ever fly for Delta.

I agree with the rest. Especially the part about not taking advice from people who don't know what they are talking about. Comair has pissed off alot of people at big D so if Comair guys do merge lists or whatever they say is going to happen, there is going to be alot of animosity on the flight deck and that is not healthy at all.

And THOSE are the facts acording to me but....

I wouldn't listen to me either

 

[Col.Hogan]

Wow! Thanks for the info. Does anyone know why Skywest has canceled their EMB classes until maybe May-June? Hog

 

[Rogue5]

Newhire class postponement

The original thought I had on the class cancellations was that management suddenly realized that, due to a lack in IOE captains (many transitioned to the CRJ recently what with all the new jet domiciles), they were burning $30-40,000 per month having new-hires sit around 2-4 weeks awaiting IOE, not to mention new captains upgrading etc. Delaying a month would allow IOE to catch up with the newhires and give them a chance to run through a new checkairman class that has been cancelled many times due to lack of time.

I have also recently heard that they slighlty overestimated the number of EMB pilots they thought would transition and the need for replacements has slowed, although certainly not stopped. Even though a few more EMB's are being retired, I keep seeing shiny new CRJs popping up at the gates.

I deadheaded on one yesterday and it did indeed have that "new jet smell."

 

[miller22]

just trying to be objective.

It all comes down to where you wanna be, I think. The two airlines really are very comparable from an employee standpoint however, when you compare them this is what i see:

Skywest is a great company, but compared to Comair, its risky. Of course Comair can offer lower costs than Skywest. First of all, ALL revenue (profit) goes straight to Delta since they own Comair. Secondly Comair still has a stronghold on the RJ market with the lowest acquisition costs and lowest operating cost (since they've been doing it for 10 years now, have complete fleet comonality and have an excellent relationship with both Bombardier and GE, which makes the CFM-34 only 20 miles from CVG). There's even been talk of Delta reconsidering their relationship with Skywest, but I haven't seen much to back that up. Comair is hiring fast, too; around 250 new pilots in 2002, and thats including a 3 month hiring freeze. Not to mention new hires going to the 70-seater with a 2nd year pay of $39ish. Even those who stay in the 50 seater have a line in around 6 months and have 2nd year pay around $36. You'll have to compare these numbers with Skywest numbers since I don't have them.

I'm trying to just look at the numbers and give you an objective view. Take it for what its worth.